Member Article

Chancellor commends Tees Valley and North Yorkshire nursery for essential work during COVID crisis

Rosedene, a childcare provider which operates across Tees Valley and North Yorkshire, has been commended by Rishi Sunak, the chancellor of the exchequer, for its essential work during the lockdown.

Alice McCullagh, director at Rosedene, wrote to the chancellor, explaining multiple funding issues early years providers had faced since the lockdown began.

As Rosedene has remained open at four dedicated hubs across Tees Valley and North Yorkshire, it has cared for the children of more than 50 key workers since the crisis began, some of whom found themselves without child care places due to their usual provider closing.

It has appealed to the chancellor and the childcare minister to advise of support needed to support the education sector a whole to re-open when it is safe to do so. This included requesting up to date information on PPE providers may need and consistent messaging from local authorities.

In the letter to Ms McCullagh, the chancellor said: ‘Thank you also for taking the time to raise this, and your thoughts and experience, with me – it really is appreciated at what I know is a difficult time and I commend you and all your staff for what you have been doing throughout this outbreak.’ He also noted that he would raise the issues addressed with the Department for Education and would update Rosedene once he had received a response.

Alice McCullagh said: “Everyone at Rosedene is shining during this crisis, and it’s fantastic that their hard work and dedication has been recognised by Mr Sunak.

“As a business which operates in his constituency, we were delighted that he took the time to personally look into our concerns and raise them with the Department for Education, especially considering the immense amount of work he’s doing to steer the country as chancellor. He’s doing a sterling job and it’s great to know he’s fighting our corner too.

“We are dedicated to looking after the children in our care, and are ideally placed to support the government in its plans to reopen education and childcare facilities. We’ve provided the childcare minister with a robust plan for what we will do when all children are encouraged to return to childcare or school, and have asked for guidance on areas which are, as yet, unclear.

“We look forward to receiving an update from the Department for Education soon.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by News Gathering .